TBR Football

Following the departure of Daniel Levy as chairman of Tottenham Hotspur, the Lewis Family have suggested that investment is coming to help the team succeed on the pitch.

Just recently, ENIC made it clear that they had rejected two approaches to buy the football club and that they had no intention of selling at this stage.

Meanwhile, reports elsewhere suggested that the Lewis Family were making their ambitions clear by claiming they ‘want more wins more often’.

So, with ENIC going nowhere and suddenly showing intent at Spurs, TBR Football spoke to the site’s finance expert, Adam Williams, to assess whether or not we could actually see the owners put their money where their mouth is.

Doubts raised over ENIC investing £100m into Tottenham

Sky Sports recently reported that the Lewis family ‘could put money into the club’, with the newly appointed CEO, Vinai Venkatesham, and his new leadership team deciding how that is spent.

But, TBR Football’s finance expert raises doubts as to whether ENIC would actually be prepared to invest the reported £100m sum into Tottenham Hotspur.

Williams told TBR Football: “There have clearly been a few friendly briefings about the Lewis family investing £100m in the club, but the language has all been very conditional, like ‘could’, ‘on course to…’

“Also, the line about them not taking a dividend is true, but it’s also true of every other Premier League club owner besides the Glazer family. So it’s not as if they’re being particularly charitable in that respect. In fact, there are only a handful of club owners who have invested less in their teams out of their own pocket.

“They have also just taken out what is effectively a short-term loan of £90m from Macquarie, which is secured against future Premier League TV revenues. That is going to have interest attached, which is money that the club, not the Lewis family, will repay at a later date.

“We don’t know the details, but we’ve seen other Premier League clubs have similar deals at an interest rate of 5-10 per cent, potentially higher. This is short-term borrowing for short-term costs – wages, other expenses and so on, not investment in transfers.”

“It’s a cash flow solution, and it’s becoming increasingly common for Premier League clubs. But if the Lewis family were ready to invest, why not do it as soon as possible? That way, you make a statement to usher in this new era and you save the club £5-10m in interest, which could otherwise be reinvested in the team in January.”

ENIC facing Premier League title investment dilemma

As history suggests, ENIC’s cost-benefit analysis suggests it’s tricky to see the owners putting in the necessary funds to have Tottenham competing right at the very top.

“The briefings to the press certainly make it clear that the Lewis family have plenty of liquid capital, and that is why they are not looking for a sale. Equally, that means there is no impediment to investing in the club via equity or no-interest loans,” added Williams.

“That to me suggests they aren’t quite as ready to pump money into the club freely in order to achieve more glory on the pitch as they are suggesting. I think it’s much, much more likely that they take on some minority investment and reinvest some of that cash, but we’re probably some way off that happening.

“Until then, I think it probably is ‘business as usual’, as Vinai Venkatesham put it. And by business as usual, I mean the club will reinvest what it earns. There’s nothing wrong with that model in isolation, especially given that Tottenham have huge revenue and therefore huge scope to reinvest. But when you have rivals who are willing to push the boundaries in terms of PSR and take the maximum possible funding from their owners, it means those clubs are catching up in terms of their total spending.

“What those clubs like Aston Villa and Newcastle lack in revenue, they make up for with owners who are willing and able to underwrite financial losses to fund investment in their squads.

“I have zero doubt that the Lewis family want more glory on the pitch. That is going to grow the club’s brand, create more revenue and inflate the value of the club, which they will one day sell for billions. But if it is a choice between a Premier League title or saving themselves the £500m or so in external investment that might be needed to get them there, I’m 100 per cent confident they would choose the latter. That’s the cost-benefit analysis which has been at the heart of everything they have done over the last 25 years.”

Dominic Solanke has named the Tottenham Hotspur player who could produce the best moment of the Premier League season, and his answer is pretty obvious.

Currently, Solanke is injured with a thigh problem, which forced Spurs to react quickly in the final days of the transfer window.

Tottenham signed Randal Kolo Muani from PSG on loan to add to what was a successful transfer window for the North London club.

The striker has now been raving about another of Spurs’ new additions and backed him to be key for the Lilywhites this season.

Dominic Solanke backs Mohammed Kudus to shine for Tottenham

Dominic Solanke is backing new signing Mohammed Kudus to produce plenty of special moments for Tottenham Hotspur this season.

Tottenham signed Kudus for £55m back in July, and the winger has been quick to make a strong impression in North London.

Solanke believes that the Ghanaian international plays with real ‘flair’, which he has already shown on several occasions since signing for Spurs.

Solanke told the Premier League’s YouTube channel: “Kudus will produce the coldest moment of the season. He’s definitely got that flair, so I think we’ll see a lot of special moments this year.”

The winger has two assists in three Premier League matches already, having formed a great partnership with Richarlison.

The 24-year-old looks to be a real menace down Spurs’ right-hand side and is quickly becoming the new talisman for Thomas Frank’s team.

Mohammed Kudus could cause upset vs West Ham

Kudus is set to face his former club on the weekend, as Tottenham travel away to West Ham United in the Premier League following the first international break.

The 24-year-old is likely to receive a frosty reception from the London Stadium, given his controversial move across London.

Jamie O’Hara slammed West Ham’s decision to sell Kudus to Tottenham, and it could come back to bite them on Saturday with the arrival of their bitter rivals.

Meanwhile, Xavi Simons and Kolo Muani could also feature in East London, making their debuts for Spurs in what will be a new-look attack.

Ange Postecoglou has been presented as the new Nottingham Forest boss, but he has offered a comment about his final season at Tottenham Hotspur.

Nottingham Forest axed Nuno Espirito Santo earlier this week, bringing an end to weeks of speculation.

Evangelos Marinakis is a big fan of Ange Postecoglou, and it was little surprise to see the Australian arrive as Nuno’s successor.

Forest’s interest in Postecoglou began in August, and the former Tottenham boss is now preparing for his first game against Arsenal this weekend.

Ange Postecoglou admits major Tottenham Hotspur problem

Postecoglou arrives with major question marks over his suitability at Forest.

Nuno had Forest well-drilled in a low block, using serious pace on the counter-attack to cause problems.

Postecoglou is almost the complete opposite, preferring to press high and dominate possession.

Tottenham axed Postecoglou despite winning the Europa League, and Forest are now hoping to see him bring silverware to the City Ground.

Postecoglou has spoken to the media after being presented as Forest’s new manager, and as captured by Hayters, he admitted one problem from his final season at Tottenham.

Postecoglou admitted that Tottenham’s pre-season preparations were poor, and his Spurs side ‘weren’t prepared’ for a busy season ahead.

Spurs won the Europa League but endured a terrible Premier League season, with Postecoglou suggesting that the poor pre-season ‘cost’ his side.

“Last year was a unique season anyway. We [Tottenham] didn’t have a great pre-season. We just weren’t prepared. Ultimately, that cost us. We just didn’t prepare well,” said Postecoglou.

Ange Postecoglou spots early difference between Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur

Postecoglou added that he now believes he will be able to handle the rigours of Premier League and Europa League football this season.

The new Forest boss also drew attention to the experience at his disposal, compared to the youth of the Tottenham squad.

“I do think that when I look at the squad, there’s certainly a little bit more experience than there was [at Spurs]. We signed some young players in the beginning of the year at Spurs.

“I just know the demands of Thursday, Sunday football, particularly playing away in Europe. I think I’ll be better equipped to handle it as well as the staff I have.”

Chris Wood, Matz Sels and Willy Boly are all experienced performers, while the likes of Douglas Luiz, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Ola Aina are all proven Premier League players.

Postecoglou will look to lean on that experience upon arriving at Forest, and will hope for success in both the Premier League and Europa League this season.

Tottenham managed to offload some deadwood during the summer transfer window.

Spurs were able to move on the likes of Bryan Gil to Girona permanently and Manor Solomon on loan to Villarreal – while Sergio Reguilon and Fraser Forster were released.

Tottenham also tried to sell Yves Bissouma – but Fenerbahce President Ali Koc has now revealed why a move to Turkey failed to materialise for the Mali international.

Injury at Hotspur Way scuppered Yves Bissouma to Fenerbahce

The 58-year-old has now revealed that he was “close” to bringing the £25m Tottenham man to Fenerbahce, but the deal collapsed after he suffered an injury in training at Hotspur Way.

Koc said: “We all want a number eight. Bissouma was very close, but he got injured. A smart number eight. Someone who can distribute the ball intelligently, play box to box. We are working on a young name. At Fenerbahce, transfers don’t end until the last minute. Neither the arrivals nor the departures end. We will push the conditions until the very last moment.”

Thomas Frank confirmed to reporters that the Malian suffered his current injury during a training session, revealing before the 3-0 win against Burnley: “Unfortunately he got injured in training yesterday, so very unfortunate. An injury we (will) look into how (bad) it is.”

TBR Football understand Tottenham were eager to sell Bissouma and a move to West Ham was discussed, but the 29-year-old ended up staying with Spurs.

Spurs now likely to miss out on a fee

Bissouma – who shone in the Europa League final – only has nine months remaining on his contract, and the summer transfer window just gone represented Tottenham’s last chance to receive a decent fee for the midfielder.

The Tottenham No.8 will now be able to strike a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club such as Fenerbahce in January, ahead of making a free transfer when his terms expire in July.

Either that, or Tottenham could receive a low bid from a club hoping to take Bissouma in January and avoid having to battle for his signature in the free agent market, like Inter Milan did when spending £16.9m to sign Christian Eriksen in January 2020.

A free transfer feels more likely – however – so the injury suffered by Bissouma could well mean Spurs have to accept a £25m loss on the June 2022 arrival from Brighton.

Tottenham Hotspur have a number of very exciting young players coming through at the moment.

Indeed, Mikey Moore has been tipped for big things at Spurs, while Lucas Bergvall looks like he could become a star too.

However, perhaps the most exciting young player at Spurs is Archie Gray.

Gray has huge potential, and speaking on the Training Ground Guru Podcast, Nick Montgomery has been discussing the youngster and his attitude.

Montgomery was, of course, a coach at Tottenham alongside Ange Postecoglou, and he says that Gray was absolutely brilliant at Spurs on the training ground last season.

Archie Gray always did extra in training

According to Montgomery, both Gray and Lucas Bergvall are incredibly hard workers in training at Tottenham.

Indeed, according to the coach, both youngsters have a brilliant mindset, claiming that Gray does a lot of extras in the gym after training.

In fact, Montgomery says that Gray and Bergvall sometimes have to be forced off the training ground because they are doing too much.

“Yeah, I think they’re two of many. There’s a lot of young players now around the Premier League that are coming in. But I mean, obviously Archie is an English player coming from Leeds and Lucas coming from Sweden.

But I mean, to work with them two players, I think people always ask what’s the biggest difference. And for me, it’s always the mindset, it’s always the belief and obviously the ability is one thing, but the attitude has to be spot on every day. And you look at them two and you’re always in the gym, always doing the extras, whether it’s training, you have to pull them off the training ground.

And I think looking at both of them two last season, playing 50-odd games each and winning Europa League in the first season of Premier League football, it’s an amazing start for them and hopefully they continue to progress”

Nick Montgomery shares Archie Gray’s best position

Montgomery continued to speak about Gray, making a claim about his best position on the pitch.

Gray has been used as a defender for both Tottenham and Leeds throughout his career, but according to Montgomery, his best position is in the midfield.

“Yeah, I think Archie’s always been a midfielder, but I think his problem is he’s such an honest player that he will play in any position, he will play anywhere to play in the team,” Montgomery said.

“Obviously coming from Leeds when he came, obviously he played a lot at full back, sort of running inside as a midfielder. And obviously at Tottenham as well, he played at centre back quite a lot this season because we had so many injuries.

“So to think most of the season, big part of the season Archie was playing left centre back, he’s right footed, he’s playing left centre back in the Premier League against the best players in the world.

“And he’s a midfielder coming in in his first season, but he just got on with it. Like I said, his attitude was amazing and to see him progress and work with him.”

Thomas Frank’s plans for Randal Kolo Muani have been made clear and TBR Football can now reveal where Tottenham’s new boss is ready to play him.

On transfer deadline day, Tottenham completed the signing of Kolo Muani on loan from PSG, after his move back to Juventus fell apart.

The North London club have now managed to secure the Frenchman’s services for the season and he could end up playing a key role under Thomas Frank.

Spurs’ new head coach is excited to work with Kolo Muani in North London and TBR Football has learned where he plans to play him.

Randal Kolo Muani is expected to play ‘multiple roles’ under Thomas Frank

Randal Kolo Muani is expected to play ‘multiple roles’ under Frank, with the Dane open-minded to the 26-year-old’s best position, sources have told TBR Football’s chief correspondent, Graeme Bailey.

The French international can play in the number nine role, whilst also being able to play both left and right wing.

Left wing is an issue for Spurs right now, with Brennan Johnson having struggled there against Bournemouth.

Tottenham moved for Kolo Muani after learning that Dominic Solanke’s injury was worse than initially feared, so the attacker could feature mostly up front.

He will face strong compeiton from Richarlison for the number nine role, with Frank a big fan of the Brazilian, despite his poor display in Spurs’ last outing.

“I am told that he arrived with Frank fairly open-minded,” Bailey told TBR Football about the Spurs boss’s man for Kolo Muani’s best position.

“I think he likes the fact that Richarlison, Johnson, Kolo Muani, even Tel, can mix and match, so you could see Richarlison and Kolo Muani out wide, with Johnson centrally – for sure. I personally believe we see Kolo Muani playing multiple roles.”

Tottenham hope Kolo Muani will continue to develop during his time working with Frank, with the sense that he is yet to peak as a striker.

Randal Kolo Muani set for Tottenham debut vs West Ham United

Tottenham travel to West Ham on Saturday evening, and Kolo Muani is likely to make his debut for the club at the London Stadium.

The 26-year-old could be joined by Xavi Simons, starting against their London rivals in the first game back after the international break.

Spurs will be keen that their two new arrivals can quickly spark up a strong relationship on the pitch, with Simons completing his first training session on Wednesday.

Xavi Simons has been taking part in his first training session as a Tottenham Hotspur player ahead of his debut against West Ham United.

In the final few days of the window, Thomas Frank’s side completed one of the biggest transfers of the summer, as Tottenham signed Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig.

Simons played 72 minutes for the Netherlands during the international break and will now be raring to go against West Ham United on Saturday.

The 22-year-old took part in his first session as a Spurs player on Wednesday, and the message to him at Hotspur Way from coaches was clear.

Xavi Simons given total freedom during Tottenham training

Tottenham Hotspur coaches were giving Xavi Simons the freedom to do ‘whatever you want’ during attacking drills on Wednesday.

The Lilywhites are hoping that their new marquee addition will be the creative hub in their team, and have been encouraging him to have a free role during training.

With James Maddison currently sidelined with a knee injury and Dejan Kulusevski also out, Simons is set to become the main number ten for Spurs.

One of Frank’s key coaches, Matt Wells, who also worked under Ange Postecoglou, was spotted working heavily with the Dutch international during attacking drills.

Simons was joined by another of Tottenham’s new additions, Randal Kolo Muani, who appeared to be playing as the number nine during the drills.

During the session, Wells could be heard shouting: “Find Xavi, go on Xavi, you create, you create, whatever you want!”

This message will be music to the ears of Spurs supporters who had been so keen for another creative player to be signed and given the freedom to play.

Xavi Simons set for Tottenham debut vs West Ham United

Simons is set to make his Tottenham debut against West Ham on the weekend, which could see Pape Matar Sarr dropped back into a deeper role.

Either Rodrigo Bentancur or Joao Palhinha could partner Sarr, with Simons playing in the number ten for Frank’s side.

Meanwhile, Kolo Muani could start up front, with Richarlison dropping to the bench, following his disappointing matches with Brazil.

It will be a new-look Spurs side, with Simons and Kolo Muani making their first starts for the Lilywhites away at the London Stadium.

Rodrigo Bentancur has less than 12 months remaining on his Tottenham Hotspur contract, which will be a concern for Spurs supporters.

However, TBR Football understands that Tottenham have held talks with Bentancur over a new deal, and Thomas Frank is pushing for the deal to get done.

The North London club are planning to accelerate these talks to avoid the situation running into the new year and allowing other clubs to enter the frame.

Frank really likes Bentancur and is hoping that the Lilywhites can resolve his future in North London by agreeing on fresh terms.

Tottenham fans delighted by Rodrigo Bentancur contract talks

Tottenham Hotspur fans are delighted by the news that the club are holding talks with Rodrigo Bentancur over a new contract.

Many feel that the Uruguayan is actually quite ‘underrated’ amongst their fellow supporters, but are happy to see that the club clearly rate him highly.

Newly appointed CEO Vinai Venkatesham has been placed in charge of negotiations over new contracts, and Bentancur is one of the players he’s talking to.

As TBR Football exclusively revealed on Thursday morning, Tottenham are also set to offer Micky van de Ven a new deal, amid interest from Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.

Over the summer, Tottenham renewed Cristian Romero’s contract, along with Djed Spence’s, and now they hope to add Van de Ven and Bentancur to that list.

Tottenham fans have now taken to social media to hail the midfielder and are adamant that he is deserving of a new contract.

One fan said: “Bentaaaa! Loved by every coach, but some people in this fanbase don’t rate him…”

“Bentancur is truly one of Spurs’ top midfielders. Please extend his contract,” added another.

There were further calls for the deal to get done: “I think Bentancur will shine even more under Frank, so a renewal is a must!”

Finally, another fan claimed: “Hopefully, this gets wrapped up quickly now, and another first-teamer is tied down to a long contract.”

The 28-year-old will be able to start talking to foreign clubs in January, so Spurs will want to avoid that from happening.

Atletico Madrid wanted Bentancur ahead of the summer, and could well be a strong contender for his signature should he become available.

Rodrigo Bentancur impresses for Uruguay over the international break

Bentancur impressed for Uruguay over the international break as he completed 90 minutes against both Peru and Chile.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side were held to a 0-0 draw with Chile, before thrashing Peru 3-0, leaving them in a strong position to qualify for next summer’s World Cup.

The 28-year-old remains such a key figure for his nation and once again proved why Spurs cannot afford to lose him on a free transfer.

Tottenham are well stocked in midfield, especially with young talents, but Bentancur can be a good guide for them.

TBR Football has assessed whether we could see any more dramatic changes in the structure of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club after Daniel Levy stepped down as chairman.

Tottenham Hotspur recently released a statement confirming that ENIC had rejected two offers to sell the club and reaffirmed their stance that the club is not for sale.

Meanwhile, the Lewis Family have been making their ambitions clear by claiming they want ‘more wins more often’ following Levy’s departure, suggesting for now, they are going nowhere.

So to assess the current lay of the land in terms of Tottenham’s ownership and whether it could change anytime soon, TBR Football spoke to the site’s finance expert, Adam Williams, about Levy, the Lewis Family and that reported £3.75bn valuation.

Daniel Levy’s role in Tottenham’s ownership made clear

Tottenham supporters noticed that whilst Daniel Levy would be stepping down as chairman, Spurs’ statement confirmed that there would be no changes in the ownership of the club.

This, therefore, raised concerns that Levy would still be associated with the club, but to clarify, the 63-year-old’s stake is in ENIC, rather than directly in Tottenham.

Williams told TBR Football: “Daniel Levy doesn’t directly hold a stake in Spurs. Instead, he owns a 29 per cent interest in ENIC, which in turn owns about 85 per cent of Tottenham. So he couldn’t directly sell his stake in the club to a third party, but he could sell his stake in ENIC, which is based in the Bahamas, privately.

“In theory, there are no restrictions in terms of who he can sell to. It’s his asset, so he can do as he pleases, even if it’s someone the Lewis family isn’t happy with. The only exception is if there is something contractual that states he would need to get board approval, but there isn’t anything statutory that could prevent it, as far as I’m aware.”

Following his departure after almost 25 years at the helm of the club, it will now be interesting to see whether the 63-year-old looks to sell this stake in an attempt to realise some of the value of his investment.

“Whether he wants to sell is another matter entirely. He has been seeking a buyer for several years – that much is a matter of public record. The statement they have issued says Spurs aren’t ’for sale’, but it doesn’t say they don’t want minority investment. They have said in their own accounts that they are seeking investment of some description,” added TBR Football’s finance expert.

“What we don’t know is whose equity they were planning to sell within that. Was it Levy’s, the Lewis family’s, a combination, or could they issue fresh shares and dilute their own stakes?

“It wouldn’t surprise me if Levy was looking to realise some of the value of his own investment. His wealth is wrapped up in Tottenham to a much, much greater extent than the Lewis family’s is in the club. The Lewis family’s wealth is in Tavistock, which owns Spurs but also dozens of other businesses that are more profitable and valuable.

“Incidentally, Josh Levy, Daniel’s son, is co-CEO of Tavistock, which is ENIC’s parent company. That’s an interesting layer.”

Tottenham’s reported £3.75bn valuation is deemed ‘too high’

In order to facilitate a sale in the near future, the reported £3.75bn valuation of the North London club will need to drop.

It is believed that Levy valued Tottenham at £3.75bn, which made talk of a takeover unrealistic, given that this demand was quite unreasonable.

Williams has been told by many in the world of football finance that this valuation is ‘too high’, with deals for Manchester United and Chelsea backing that up.

“Levy reportedly valued the club at £3.75bn, though we don’t know whether that was really his appraisal or ENIC’s. Either way, it’s too high. That’s the opinion of almost everyone I’ve spoken to in that world,” stated Williams.

“For context, £3.75bn is not far off what Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s deal for a quarter of Man United valued them at – and they’re one of the top three football brands in the world. Spurs are big but not that big. Yes, the stadium is one of the best in the world, but they have lost money since they moved into it.

“As an investor, you’re looking for where the return is. I don’t see it at £3.75bn. The fact that the Glazers couldn’t sell at the £6bn they wanted and the feeling in the market is that Todd Boehly and Clearlake have overpaid for Chelsea, says a lot.

“I think it’s quite clear that Levy jumped before he was pushed, but the timing is a little strange. And now, they have borrowed about £90m from Macquarie, an Australian lender, which presumably is needed to meet running costs in the immediate short term. That doesn’t strike me as the type of thing you’d do if you’re anticipating a huge investment, either from a new minority partner or a naming rights deal. At least, not in the near future.

“It’s also somewhat at odds with the reports we’ve seen suggesting the owners are going to invest £100m. ENIC could have loaned the club that amount, and Spurs wouldn’t have to pay any interest.”

Ange Postecoglou is the new Nottingham Forest boss – and he could now unleash a striker recently targeted by Tottenham Hotspur.

Evangelos Marinakis has made two major decisions at Nottingham Forest this week, and you could argue that both were actually fairly predictable.

Nuno Espirito Santo was axed as Forest boss in the early hours of Tuesday morning, following weeks of tension with Marinakis.

Marinakis is a big fan of Ange Postecoglou, and it was little surprise to see the Australian named as Nuno’s successor mere hours after his sacking.

Postecoglou has landed Nick Montgomery as part of his coaching staff, alongside a number of other former Spurs coaches, and is now preparing for this weekend’s clash with Arsenal.

Ange Postecoglou can now unleash Arnaud Kalimuendo at Nottingham Forest

How Postecoglou fares at Forest will be fascinating, given that they thrived in a fairly low block and with a focus on counter-attacking football.

Postecoglou’s style of football is virtually the polar opposite of Nuno’s, and that could mean major changes to how Forest line up.

Former Spurs target Morgan Gibbs-White should still play a key role, but Chris Wood could be under threat.

Wood has been a brilliant goalscorer at the City Ground, but Forest snapped up Arnaud Kalimuendo from Stade Rennais in August.

Kalimuendo looks to be a great fit for Postecoglou in terms of his penalty box prowess and ability to press from the front.

Wood certainly isn’t as mobile as Kalimuendo and may not be the best fit for the pressing play that Postecoglou seeks at the top end of the pitch.

Kalimuendo hit 17 league goals for Rennes last season, but has only played 20 minutes across two substitute appearances for Forest.

The 23-year-old is looking for his big chance in the Premier League, and it may well come under Postecoglou, who may see shades of his former strikers Dominic Solanke and Kyogo Furuhashi in aspects of Kalimuendo’s play.

Forest clearly see a bright future for Kalimuendo, and while it may take some time for him to emerge as he settles in, the Frenchman could become Forest’s first-choice striker after this managerial change.

Tottenham Hotspur eyed Arnaud Kalimuendo

Postecoglou should be excited to work with Kalimuendo, and Forest will be delighted to have secured his services.

Reports over the summer suggested that Tottenham Hotspur – Postecoglou’s former club – were interested in Kalimuendo over the summer.

Spurs made enquiries into signing Kalimuendo, who was raised in the Paris Saint-Germain youth ranks.

Forest managed to win the race, but another French forward ended up in North London as Tottenham snapped up Randal Kolo Muani.

Postecoglou could have easily been watching Kalimuendo from afar in a Spurs shirt, but he will instead be in charge of his development at Forest – and will look to turn him into a Premier League star.